The New York Yankees’ performance has been at its lowest for many years now. This season has been particularly woeful for its fans. The last time the team won the silver title was in 2009. In this drought-like situation, how could one of its star performers of the past perform for their team in current times? Well, that is difficult to answer, but we can examine how he performed then and how is he remembered now. After all, it is his 92 birthday today.

The New York Yankee in question is the legendary Mickey Mantle. For some, he was a hero whose attachment to him defied logic. For many, it was not the case, but inevitable, despite his personal life issues. Between these strands of likers, he was a hero of his time for his baseball exploits. The iconic figure of the 20th century created a legacy for his switch-hitting stroke and good looks. Today he would have turned 92. 

Mickey played football and baseball as well

Mantle was born on October 20, 1931, to father Lovell Thelma in the zinc field of Okhlama. His father’s love for the sport was so intense that he had decided to train his son in baseball much before his birth. Naming him after Hall of Fame catcher Mickey Cochrane,  Lovell used to give his son training early on. Mantle was later picked to play from both sides in the game because of his father.

Mantle is known as a baseball legend but he wore other caps as well. He played football and basketball. The University of Oklahoma offered him a football scholarship. He chose not to take it because his father wanted him to play baseball. Later, he played baseball for the Yankees for 18 years. In his career, he scored 536 home runs, 20 All-Star selections, seven World Series titles, and three AL MVP Awards. 

He made such performances amidst his personal life hassles. It affected him badly. Alcohol had taken a huge toll on his life issues. This one is unbecoming to the likes of him. His second love after baseball was to be in a state of inebriation. The extent was so bad that he died of a disease as a result of alcoholism.  Once, he had to go to the police station. Jacques Kelly in the Baltimore Sun reports that Retired Baltimore City Police Ellwood had taken Mickey into the police station because he was intoxicated. 

Mickey Mantle was taken to Police Station

“I was a New York Yankees fan then and I instantly recognized them. The group was composed of Whitey Ford, Tony Kubek, Clete Boyer, Ralph Houk, Joe Pepitone and Mickey Mantle,”  he said. 

“Mantle was intoxicated and the loudest of them all. The others were under control. Mantle was not. He was screaming and hollering, disorderly and causing commotion, and the team had to be back to the Sheraton-Belvedere Hotel by 11 p.m. It was a few minutes past then. They were in a hurry to get back,” it reads.

Just a little before his death, he realized his lifestyle had hurt his life beyond proportion. But nothing could be done then, nor now. The damage to the legend was already done. 

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